Fiber composite materials have been used in the industry over the past three decades. However, their utilization in the primary load-bearing structures has been limited by its high sensitivity to out-of-plane failures resulting from the low interlaminar fracture toughness. Method to alleviate these problems is to improve delamination resistance in the thickness direction by stitching, 3D weaving, 3D knitting, 3D braid. Those 3D technologies need complicated machines and manufacturing processes. So layer-by-layer lay-up and filament wrapping are still major processes in composite industry.
The present invention provides methods to make 3D composites in compatible to 2D manufacturing process.